Jaeger leads Wildcats to 4-1 win in Corpus Christi on Thursday

Wichita Falls 4 @ Corpus Christi 1 - The Corpus Christi IceRays (4-5-0) were shut down by three third period goals by the Wichita Falls Wildcats (6-1-1) in a 4-1 loss on Thursday night at the American Bank Center.

The Wildcats scratched across the opening goal on the power play late in the first period. At 16:38, forward Erich Jaeger popped home an open back door play coming from forward Andre Pison to jump ahead, 1-0. Throughout the first two periods, the IceRays mounted multiple chances in net including one shorthanded in the opening frame but had trouble capitalizing.

In the second period, luck finally found their way to the home side. At 14:57, forward Jimmy O’Brien jammed the puck through a few bodies just off to the right of the net to knot the game, 1-1, on the power play for his second power play tally in as many games.

In the third, play unraveled for the IceRays in the score column. The Wildcats took back the lead on the power play, 2-1, at 4:50 when forward Ben Lown’s shot at the left circle bounced off the skate of IceRays defenseman Tucker Bender. The lead doubled, 3-1, at 10:06 on the game’s first even-strength goal thanks to a long pass from forward Aleksi Poikola leading to a breakaway for forward Garrett VanWhye. Then, at 16:22, Jaeger earned his second of the evening to put down the IceRays and give his side the victory, 4-1.

Wildcats netminder Justin Kapelmaster (5-0-0) earned the win, stopping 21 of 22 shots, while IceRays goaltender Graham Hunt (2-3-0) picked up the loss, saving 26 of 30 shots. The IceRays round off their four-game home stand on Friday, October 9 at 7:05 p.m. against the Wichita Falls Wildcats from the American Bank Center.